title: The arm ergometer exercise test for evaluating coronary artery status in patients presenting for peripheral vascular surgery.
abstract: Various non-invasive methods exist for evaluating the cardiac status of patients presenting for peripheral vascular surgery. Methods involving exercise on a treadmill are frequently used, but adequate testing may be limited in amputees and patients with severe claudication or rest pain. An alternative means of exercise is the arm ergometer. A study of 130 patients subjected to arm ergometer exercise testing before peripheral vascular surgery was undertaken. A control group of 29 consecutive patients had coronary angiography. ECG exercise testing using the arm ergometer showed a sensitivity for detecting coronary artery disease of 46% and a specificity of 100%. In total, 42 tests were positive, 21 on patients with no symptoms of ischaemic heart disease and no resting ECG changes indicative of ischaemia, and 4 in patients with atypical angina. Muscle fatigue proved a problem, especially in women; while the accuracy of the test did not decline in patients over the age of 60 years when compared with those under this age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Dr Bill Venter Unit for Vascular Surgery, University of the Orange Free State and Universitas Hospital, Bloemfontein.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Travers
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Nel
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: van der Watt
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Jordaan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000601:surgery*